Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to provide a few comments on Public Works and Services. I know the reduction exercise was there and the department was challenged, but they’ve done a good job in coming up with the reductions that were asked. They’re up a little bit, but I think it’s all very defensible.
I wanted to mention that it’s a department where there are a lot of challenges, and the Minister and the management inside that department are managing the issues there quite well. I didn’t have any real concerns with what’s happening there, aside from the fact that we have to be very cognizant of the increases in energy costs. Mr. Bromley spoke earlier of what those are, so we’ve got to keep our eyes squarely on that.
We’ve also got some issues with aging infrastructure that we need to take care of, and asset management — having people in communities that can look after what we have there on the ground. Things are looking relatively good here in Public Works and Services.
The one comment I did have would have to do with the TSC. Again, it’s a valuable service that the TSC provides the government with. But from a budgeting perspective, I’m wondering if any thought’s been given to perhaps having the TSC establish its own budget instead of charging back various departments for utilization of their services. To me, that would be more of a straightforward approach and easier for the public and for Members of this House to comprehend if we had a system like that, where the TSC would have to state their budget on an annual basis. That’s something that as we go forward, we can work through the business plans next year or come up with a different model, because it is a little bit confusing following all the chargebacks to the TSC.
Those are just some comments, Mr. Chairman. Again, I wanted to thank the Minister and his staff. I think things here, for the most part….
One other thing I did want to mention: I was very impressed with the Minister and the department for coming up with the briefing on the capital-planning process and some big issues there that we’re trying to tackle as a government, and I think they’ve done a tremendous job in that area too. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s always good to hear kind remarks about some of the work we’ve been taking on.
There are a number of things that we’ve focused on this time around as we brought our budget forward. We’ve really tried to focus our reductions on areas that we felt would avoid cutbacks to programs or program areas — some of the statutory requirements and programs that are scheduled to sunset or had significant concerns from the Members of this House. It’s also allowed us, in our new initiatives, to bring some investment to an area of real concern, and that is deferred maintenance. We’ve also been able to hire a number of apprentices, so we’re quite happy with that, that these things are in our budget.
The issue about the TSC having their own budget is something, up to this point, our staff has had general discussion on. We’ve really not pursued this as a desired way to do this, because right now, through a chargeback system, the growth is really paid for by the departments, and the onus is on the departments to control the growth. Going to another system, where we would put it in our budget, we may lose some of that. Thank you.
General comments. Detail.
Agreed.
Okay, we’ll move to Department Summary, page 5-7, Operations Expenditure Summary: $57.8 million. Again, we’ll defer that Department Summary and return to that at the end.
We’re on page 5-8, Active Positions — By Region, information item. Agreed?
Department of Public Works and Services, Department Summary, Active Positions — By Region, information item, approved.
Another information item, Active Positions, Community Allocations, 5-9.
Department of Public Works and Services, Department Summary, Active Positions — Community Allocations, information item, approved.
Revenue Summary, information item, page 5-10.
Department of Public Works and Services, Department Summary, Revenue Summary, information item, approved.
We’re now under Directorate. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Apologies here. I have a question on 5-10.
Do we have agreement to go back to 5-10?
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a quick one. I’m wondering what the grant-in-kind was that apparently was stopped last year, that didn’t continue this year. Thank you.
Minister of Public Works, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe the grant-in-kind is the contribution, or the recognition of the contribution, made for Rockhill Apartments, which has now been transferred over to the Department of Health.
Mr. Bromley.
That’s fine, thank you.
Okay, going to 5-13, Directorate, Operations Expenditure Summary, Activity Summary: $6.589 million.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Directorate, Operations Expenditure Summary: $6.589 million, approved.
5-14, Active Positions, Directorate, information item.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Directorate, Active Positions, information item (page 5-14), approved.
5-15, Active Positions, Directorate.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Directorate, Active Positions, information item (page 5-15), approved.
Asset Management, page 5-17, Operations Expenditure Summary, Activity Summary: $49.229 million.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Asset Management, Operations Expenditure Summary: $49.229 million, approved.
Page 5-18, Grants and Contributions, Asset Management, Activity Summary, Grants.
Agreed.
Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Chair, I’m now slightly confused. I thought the revenue summary, the grant-in-kind mentioned on page 5-10…. I thought the Minister said that that was the Rockhill grant, whereas on 5-18, the $260,000 is the Rockhill grant. So I’m just a little confused. The number you mentioned before — that $510,000 that disappeared — doesn’t seem consistent with this $260,000. So if you can help me understand that, that’d be great.
Mr. Chairman, we’ll have Michael Aumond, the deputy minister, explain the discrepancy here.
Mr. Chair, if I could just bring the Member back to 5-10, the grant-in-kind that was $533,000. The revenue summary in ’07–08 now showing as zero in ’08–09 is just a decrease due to the decision made by government accounting to forgo revenue that should be recorded — the amount owing to the department should we have leased out that apartment building. That’s on the revenue side. And in 5-18, it’s just the value of the grant-in-kind associated with that rental revenue.
Can I have that in English, please?
Deputy Minister Aumond, do you have a translator?
Mr. Chairman, in October there was a decision made to transfer the Rockhill Apartments, which was leased by the YWCA from Public Works to Health, which is the program sponsor. So we renewed that lease. And in ’08–09 there was ongoing negative operation expenditure target adjustment, with the revenue for $260,000, which we record as a grant-in-kind. It serves as sort of a subsidized lease over and above the $533,000 — the difference between that and what we could have got on the market should we have rented it. So it’s just an accounting to show what we could have got had we rented it out versus subsidizing the lease to the YWCA.
We’re on page 5-18, Grants and Contributions, Asset Management, Activity Summary, Grants. Agreed?
Moving on to page 5-20, Asset Management, Active Positions, information item.
Page 5-21, Asset Management, Active Positions, information item.
Now moving on to 5-23, Technology Service Centre, Operations Expenditure Summary, Activity Summary, $953,000.
Department Of Public Works And Services, Activity Summary, Technology Service Centre, Operations Expenditure Summary: $953,000, approved.
Petroleum Products, Operations Expenditure Summary, Activity Summary, $1.029 million.
Department Of Public Works And Services, Activity Summary, Petroleum Products, Operations Expenditure Summary: $1.029 million, approved.
Lease Commitments — Infrastructure, information item. Agreed?
Department of Public Works and Services, Lease Commitments — Infrastructure, information item, approved.
Technology Service Centre (Chargeback), information item, 5-27.
Department of Public Works and Services, Technology Service Centre (Chargeback), information item, approved.
We’re on page 5-28, Technology Service Centre, Active Positions — By Region. Agreed?
Department of Public Works and Services, Technical Service Centre (Chargeback), Active Positions — By Region, approved.
Page 5-29, Technology Service Centre, Active Positions — Community Allocations.
Department of Public Works and Services, Technology Service Centre (Chargeback), Active Positions — Community Allocation, approved.
Page 5-30, Public Stores Revolving Fund, information item.
Department of Public Works and Services, Public Stores Revolving Fund, information item, approved.
Page 5-31, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, information item. Mr. Bromley.
Mr. Chair, I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Department of Public Works and Services bring forward a proposal to allocate a portion of profits from sales of petroleum products to initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the benefit of those communities where the revenue is generated.
The motion is in order. The motion is being circulated. To the motion, Mr. Bromley.
This was reflected in our committee report, and it’s been discussed a number of times. I think the department has shown interest in this sort of thing already. It’s a recognition that we need to change our approach, change our way of thinking. I think the responsibility of this government is to…. If we’re going provide subsidies, let’s not subsidize things that we know are hard on people and are destroying our future. Let’s take those subsidies and put them into things that benefit everybody and actually work towards achieving our goals rather than competing with or opposing our goals.
This is a small action, in a way, but it would show that we have a new way of thinking. It would demonstrate to the public that we’re aware of the need to back off subsidies for fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gas emissions and put them into alternatives which are more labour-intensive, are beneficial for the local economy and slowly bump up the skills and the local businesses in our communities that actually support the goals and the priorities of this Assembly. I just wanted to put this forward. Again, it would show a progressive and new approach, new recognition of the signals that we’re getting in the world, and our willingness to participate.
Motion carried.
We’re on page 5-31, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, information item.
Department of Public Works and Services, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, information item, approved.
Page 5-32, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, Active Positions — By Region.
Department of Public Works and Services, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, Active Positions — By Region, approved.
Page 5-33, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, Active Positions — Community Allocation.
Department of Public Works and Services, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, Active Positions — Community Allocation, approved.
Page 5-34, Public Works and Services, Work Performed on Behalf of Others, information item.
Department of Public Works and Services, Work Performed on Behalf of Others, information item, approved.
